Durable-Goods Orders Rise in July

The U.S. Census Bureau today announced the July advance report on durable goods manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders:

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in July, up four of the last five months, increased $3.6 billion or 1.1 percent to $339.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This followed a 0.5 percent June increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.3 percent. Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $2.6 billion or 2.3 percent to $116.2 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in July, up ten of the last eleven months, increased $3.2 billion or 1.0 percent to $334.7 billion. This followed a 1.0 percent June increase. Transportation equipment, up nine of the last ten months, led the increase, $1.4 billion or 1.3 percent to $111.6 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in July, up twenty-four of the last twenty-five months, increased $9.6 billion or 0.6 percent to $1,599.9 billion. This followed a 0.6 percent June increase. Transportation equipment, up eleven of the last twelve months, led the increase, $4.6 billion or 0.5 percent to $1,006.4 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in July, up ten consecutive months, increased $2.2 billion or 0.4 percent to $604.4 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent June increase. Primary metals, up seventeen consecutive months, led the increase, $0.8 billion or 1.5 percent to $51.9 billion.

Capital Goods

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in July increased $1.9 billion or 2.0 percent to $99.1 billion. Shipments increased $1.5 billion or 1.6 percent to $97.0 billion. Unfilled orders increased $2.1 billion or 0.2 percent to $951.2 billion. Inventories increased $0.7 billion or 0.3 percent to $253.1 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in July decreased $0.4 billion or 1.5 percent to $23.0 billion. Shipments increased less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $19.6 billion. Unfilled orders increased $3.5 billion or 1.5 percent to $228.8 billion. Inventories increased $0.3 billion or 1.1 percent to $28.5 billion.

Revised June Data

Revised seasonally adjusted June figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $657.7 billion (revised from $656.5 billion); shipments, $653.5 billion (revised from $652.1 billion); unfilled orders, $1,590.3 billion (revised from $1,590.6 billion) and total inventories, $963.2 billion (revised from $962.9 billion).